Joyce Murphy

Marguerite “Joyce” Murphy, 92, of Fort Collins, passed away July 10, 2023, at Poudre Valley Hospital. She was born October 3, 1930, in Fairplay, CO, the eldest daughter of Fred Hand Thompson and Marguerite Emma Jane Pirie Thompson. She attended schools in Fort Collins and Denver and graduated from Fort Collins High School in 1948. She received an A.A. from Cottey College, Nevada, Missouri in 1950; B.A. and M.A. from the University of Colorado in 1954 and 1957; and an M.L.S. from the University of Denver in 1964. She taught high school English in Danville, Kentucky, freshman composition and English literature at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, then was a cataloger at the University of Iowa Libraries, and the serials librarian at the Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. Joyce and Joe Murphy were married on June 12, 1971, in Des Moines, Iowa. They moved to Fort Collins in 1985 and established the home that meant so much to them both. After her beloved Joe’s death in 2000, she found comfort in continuing to attend St. John XXIII University Parish, in volunteering at Bennett School Library, and in being a “weather watcher” for C.S.U. 's CoCoRaHS project. Joyce was a member of P.E.O. Chapter GG and Phi Beta Kappa. Though reading was her most absorbing activity, she delighted in being in the company of family and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister Emma Joan Thompson Schaal, nephew Mark Duncan Schaal, and brother-in-law John L. Schaal. She is survived by her niece Marguerite Suzanne Duncan-Abrams, her husband Michael Abrams, and their daughter Rebecca Irene Duncan Abrams; her nephew’s widow Mary Carman Schaal, their son John Luis Schaal, his wife Anahi, and their son Andres. Throughout her life Joyce remained close to her family including Kurt Trautman of Washington; Lou Ann Stockmeier Heninger of Tennessee; Leslie Darjes, Gregory Darjes, Badley Darjes, Wendy Darjardins, and Shelley and Lyndon Darjes all residing in Canada; and Sandra Murray of Huntly, Scotland. Joyce was also very close to Joe’s family including the Murphy family residing in Arizona (Mick, Linda and Mike) and in Iowa (Paul and Jeff) along with family friend Sally Malloy. Her Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 9:45 AM, Thursday, August 31, 2023, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, in Fort Collins. Her cremated remains will be interred, alongside her husband, Joe, at Grandview Cemetery, Ft. Collins. In lieu of flowers, she has requested that memorial gifts be made in her memory to Catholic Relief Services or Habitat for Humanity. To view the live stream for Joyce Murphy's service please click the following link: https://www.youtube.com/@SaintJosephCatholicChurchFC/streams